This week's episode of NXT starts with a video promoting tonight's main event, Samoa Joe and Finn Balor - Rhyno and Kevin Owens.
The show opens from Orlando, FL. The NXT universe at Full Sail University is loudly chanting "NXT, NXT, NXT!" We begin with the first bout for the evening.
the Vaudvillains - Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder
The Vaudvillains make their way to the ring as only they can, in black and white. It's nice to see this team get more airtime on NXT. Dawson and Wilder appear to be using a throwback gimmick. Almost a couple of roughneck wrestlers from the 1970s. Scott Dawson is eerily similar to a young Arn Anderson. Gotch and Dawson start the match with a lock up, but the vaudvillains tag each other two times in a row to catch Dawson in a doubleteam. Dawson is able to get out of the corner by punching Gotch. Dawson then tags his partner. Wilder makes his way in to attack Gotch as Dawson holds him. Wilder then tags Dawson back into the match and holds Gotch yet again, while Dawson is on the attack. Gotch gets out of their corner and is able to tag Aiden English. Aiden comes in and clears house. He delivers atomic drops to both Dawson and Wilder. Goth then tags back into the match and clubs Dawson in the back of the head. English then bounces off the ropes to connect with a running snap neck breaker. Gotch covers Dawson for the victory by pinfall.
Winner by pinfall:
the Vaudvillains
Becki Lynch is then shown from the performance center with an update on her injury. She explains she sprained her hip flexer during her match against Sasha Banks. Lynch goes onto explain she will be out for a few weeks, but she'll get the championship from Sasha when she makes her return to "NBeXT." The promo was good, but could have done without the pun at the end.
Baron Corbin - Tucker Knight
This match went very quick, as do all of Baron Corbin's matches. Right at the opening of this match Corbin was able to lift Knight by the back and slammed him face first into the mat. Baron then connected his End of Days maneauver for the victory by pinfall. It's interesting to see a squash match on NXT. NXT is almost a throwback in many ways to wrestling of yesteryear. What's old again is now new. The younger generation may not recall squash matches, as they've been obsolete for a number of years. It's a great way for new talent to jar the disbelief of the audience and buy into the wrestler as a threat to other wrestlers within the organization.
Winner by pinfall:
Baron Corbin
William Regal is then shown in the back with both of the Vaudvillains, as well as Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady. Both teams are arguing adamently about which one deserves a shot at the NXT Tag Team Championships. William Regals then puts a stop to all their bickering by making a match for next weeks episode of NXT. Regal states it will be the Vaudvillains - Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady to determine the number one contender's for the NXT Tag Team Champions Blake and Murphy.
There is then part 3 of the mini-documentary based on Finn Balor(Fergal Devitt). Fergal talks about fan art being an inspiration for his bodypaint. He explains he loves inspiring young children and artists. He states when he was a child he used to always draw pictures of his favorite wrestlers. There is an image of Dusty Rhodes showing Fergal Devitt the WWE Performance Center prior to signing with WWE. Fergal then goes onto talk about his NXT debut and how he felt like he did something right the first time he walked down the NXT entrance ramp. Albert is also featured in this video footage. He and Devitt are very close outside of the business. Albert was a main contributor to getting Fergal originally signed. Albert states during the footage that he has a lot of love and admiration for this man.
He is always impressed and sometimes gets a little emotional at how far Devitt has came. Albert talks about how Fergal needed to learn how to properly perform a WWE/NXT entrance, but didn't really need any assistance with creating or modifying his moveset. There is also footage of Triple H showing Devitt different ways to present himself during his entrance. We then get a glimpse of the house show Balor did for WWE in Dublin, Ireland earlier in the year. Balor states "To say I was excited would be an absolute understatement." It was the same arena he witnessed Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart face off against one another when he was a child in the mid 1990s. It's awesome how things come full circle in life. Balor then goes into detail about his demon persona and how it gives him a lot more confidence going out to the sqaured circle in body paint. Balor stated anytime he wears the paint he's "releasing his inner demon."
When returning to NXT from the documentary there is footage of Eva Marie training at NXT, with William Regal and WWE women's trainer Sara Amato (Sara Del Rey) intently watching. The commentators explain William Regal is evaluating Eva Marie with Sara Amato to determine if Eva has earned a right to wrestle in NXT.
Emma with Dana Brooke - Carmella
Carmella had a microphone at the beginning of the match and said "Badda bing, realest chick in the ring." Carmella was quite impressive during this encounter. For most of the match Carmella had the upperhand. At one point Carmella reversed a hip toss to connect with a hurricanrana, then followed up with a running clothesline. Emma was able to capitalize after Carmella gave an arm wrench to Emma from the top rope. Emma applied a body scissors to Carmella to weaken her abdominal area. Carmella was able to get out of the body scissors and fired back with a side kick, then a running kick. She then taunted with the Staten Island Shuffle, but Emma gave a drop toe hold. From there, Emma was able to lock in a submission with Carmella on her stomach and Emma on her back bridges with Carmella's legs locked and cranked on Carmella's neck. Carmella tapped out quickly thereafter.
Winner by submission:
Emma
Bull Dempsey appears to be beating the tar out of a vending machine in the back, however William Regal interrupts by grabbing the chair out of Bull's hand as he's about to break the vending machine's glass. Bull says "I was only trying to get the pastachios." Regal tells the man to "Get a grip on yourself." This new character for Bull shows another dimension his previous gimmick did not. He's definitely the comedy act of NXT at the moment.
Jason Jordan is in the next segment, delivering a promo about not being able to find the right tag team partner. Chad Gable walks up and says he's been watching Jordan's matches, studying. He then reassures Jordan that he's there for him; ready, willing, and Gable.
Prince Pretty Tyler Breeze - Tye Dillinger
Breeze arrives to the ring with selfie stick in hand. There is an arm drag from Breeze. Dillinger's in the corner and Breeze rushes. Dillinger dodges Breeze and counters with repeated kicks in the corner. Dillinger then connects with a couple stomps and a chop to Breeze's chest. Tye give Breeze a body slam, then an irish whip, but Prince Pretty is able to reverse into punches and a hurricanrana. Breeze then reverses another irish whip from Dillinger and connects with his Beauty Shot for the victory by pinfall.
Winner by pinfall:
Prince Pretty Tyler Breeze
Sasha Banks is then shown in the locker room where Emma and Dana Brooke are. Sasha asks what Emma and Dana are doing in her locker room and goes onto say "She's the BOSS." Emma and Dana take this as a threat. They then challenge Sasha, saying 1 on 2 isn't very fair. Sasha isn't worried though as she states she'll be able to find a partner.
Finn Balor and Samoa Joe - Rhyno and NXT Champion Kevin Owens
Rhyno and Joe start this one off with a few punch from Rhyno, then a fury of punches from Samoa Joe. Rhyno is now in the corner. Samoa Joe goes to the opposite corner and charges Rhyno, only to body check him with his back and connect with a pei lei-like enziguri. Balor then tags into the match to give a standing dropkick to Rhyno. Rhyno makes is way over to Owens and is able to get the tag. Owens repeatedly punch Balor, but Finn delivers another standing dropkick. Balor attempts a vertical suplex, but Owens is able to stabalize himself to where Balor can't lift him. Owens throws Balor to the outside area near his corner and Rhyno begins to attack before rolling him back into the ring. Owens has a headlock, but Finn is able to reverse only to be on the receiving end of a hard elbow from Owens. Rhyno then is tagged into the match by his partner. Rhyno comes into the ring and gives a standing vertical suplex, only he's holding Finn upside down in the air and shows his strength by squating 3 times while his opponent is vertical in the suplex. Impressive show of strength on Rhyno's part. This was very remaniscent of the late British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith.
Rhyno was also wearing a Hart Foundation-style pink color on his black tights. Leaving one to speculate about this being in honor of his fallen brother, Tyson Kidd. Kidd unfortunately injured his neck receiving a muscle buster from Samoa Joe during a dark after Monday Night Raw a few weeks ago. After the standing vertical suplex, Rhyno tags Owens into the match. Owens gives a snap mare and locks in another headlock. Balore reverses out of the headlock with a series of punches to Owens's gut. Owens is able to capatilize after Balor escapes mimicking John Cena's moveset. Owens gives a running jumping shoulder tackle, followed by a spinning back drop, and the dreaded five-knuckle shuffle. Owens then attempts an Attitude Adjustment to Balor, but Balor reverses and connects with a double stomp. Balor then tags Samoa Joe into the match, as Owens simultaneously tags Rhyno. Joe takes it to Rhyno, then lands a running senton while Rhyno's on the mat. As Joe bounces off the ropes, Owens forearms him in the back of the head. Joe stops mid-stream, turns, and gives a hard punch to Kevin Owens. Owens does a great job selling the the punch in his corner. Rhyno takes the opening and delivers a spinning spinebuster to Joe. Joe makes his way to his corner as Rhyno tags Owens. Owens charges Samoa Joe in his corner, but Joe lifts Owens into the air slamming him hard to the mat with his rock-bottom like maneuver. Finn tags Joe and climbs to the top turnbuckle.
Joe bring Owens to the adjacent corner and attempts a muscle buster, but Rhyno punches Balor off the top rope to the outside. Joe stops his finisher to attack Rhyno. Owens then approaches Joe and as Joe turns toward Owens he is met with a pop-up powerbomb. This was impressive as Samoa Joe had no momentum going into the move and Owens was still able to throw him into the air to connect with his pop-up powerbomb. Finn is still the legal man and attacks Owens, but Owens is able to superkick Balor. However, the ever-agile Finn Balor is able to stick a pei lei kick as he falls to the mat from the superkick. Rhyno is in the opposite corner signaling for the gore. Balor gets to his feet as does Owens, but Owens is right behind Finn inadvertantly in Rhyno's crosshairs. Balor steps to the side as Rhyno charges and Owens receives a gore from his partner. Owens then crawls to his corner while Rhyno isn't far behind trying to see if he's alright. Finn is in his corner and runs full speed. He jumps into the air at Rhyno and hits him hard with a jumping dropkick, causing Rhyno to hit Owens while both are in the corner together. Rhyno rolls to the outside, but Owens is in his corner on the ground. Balor runs full speed again from the opposite corner and hits hard running corner dropkick. Balor then climbs to the top rope, leaping off high in the air, landing firmly on Owens chest with his coup de grace, and pinning the NXT Champion for the victory.
Winner by pinfall:
Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
This was Owens's first loss in NXT and he looks to be very upset, as he walks backwards up the entrance ramp. The commentators then close the show promoting Finn Balor - Kevin Owens for the NXT Championship live from Tokyo, Japan Saturday July fourth.
This was a good way to help tell the story between Balor and Owens before their battle in Japan. It should be a great homecoming for Balor to return to his roots of Japan. This week's episode of NXT didn't fail to deliver and also did a great job promoting the NXT special featuring Brock Lesnar this Saturday. Will Finn Balor be able to come up on top yet again and pin Kevin Owens for a second time to win the NXT Championship from Tokyo, Japan?
We'll have to find out Saturday, but logically thinking it all makes sense for him to become champion. He's going to be in Japan, where he formed a lot of his roots before signing to WWE. He's also had a mini-documentary featured on the past 3 episodes of NXT. Not only this, but getting the NXT Championship off of Kevin Owens would break him from NXT and give him motivation to capture the United States Championship from John Cena this Sunday at WWE Battleground.